Podcast Series

August 2017

As AURP ramps up for IC2017, Mason Ailstock, AURP President, caught up withErin Koshut, Director of Cummings Research Park (CRP), and Co-Chair of AURP IC2017. Learn more about CRP with the legacy of Dr. Wernher von Braun and discover the ongoing initiatives taking place at Cummings Research Park and throughout Huntsville.

Erin provides highlights on their just-unveiled master plan, the unique governance of CRP and so much more on the foresight of key leaders in the community, including like Jim Hudson of HudsonAlpha. She explains how these leaders have had a part in why Huntsville in the distinct and prestigious community that it is still today.

Also, a special congratulations to the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber on receiving the Chamber of the Year Award (for their market-size) by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE), the only globally-recognized industry award that honors top chambers of commerce.

So, plan to join us in Huntsville, October 9-12 for AURP's International Conference in this exciting city! Our theme is: "Launching Cities. Catalyzing Legacies." See you there!

July 2017

This month, AURP's President Mason Ailstock interviews Laura O’Blenis,Managing Director of the Canadian Association of University Research Parks (AURP Canada).

Laura shares the history surrounding the founding of the Canadian Chapter of AURP, and how the initiative complements the efforts of the main association. 2017 marks the 10th anniversary of the chapter, so tune in to look back at the last decade and to hear about future initiatives.

Eric Smith led the design and implementation of the newly-restructured Regional Innovation Strategies (RIS) program, OIE’s grant program that fosters sustainable and agile innovation-based economies by building regional capacity to translate research into jobs through technical assistance and access to early-stage risk capital, and manages its application evaluation and its resulting grant portfolio of currently nearly 100 grants with an aggregate budget of more than $85 million. He manages the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NACIE) and its private-sector experts as they develop actionable Federal policies and programs to foster innovation, increase access to capital, and catalyze the creation of new, scalable businesses. Smith also represents EDA and OIE in a variety of interagency and external initiatives that support innovators and entrepreneurs throughout the country and provides intellectual property expertise.

May 2017

Our first podcast featured Mason Ailstock with G. Nagesh Rao, Chief Technologist & Entrepreneur in Residence with the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Investment & Innovation.

G. Nagesh Rao is a practicing technologist, commercialization strategist, entrepreneur, and highly cited policy expert working at the intersection of applied science, law, business, and public policy from both domestic and international perspectives with over 10+ years of successful experience.

Is his role as Chief Technologist with the U.S. SBA’s Office of Investment & Innovation, his portfolio of work includes the SBIR/STTR program and coordination of the Fueling Small Business Innovation Interagency Policy Committee for the White House’s Lab to Market Commercialization Agenda. He played an instrumental role in the creation and execution of five major interagency policy committee reports regarding the SBIR/STTR program on behalf of the White House-OSTP and SBA for U.S. Congress, as well currently co-leading the re-vamped build out of the www.sbir.gov platform that centralizes the programmatic efforts of the 11 participating federal agencies.